The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-09-01
THE CREW LEFT THEIR SHIP

THE CREW LEFT THEIR SHIP
to trust their lives to the chances of
being picked up some hundreds of
miles further south. This was
partly accomplished, about half
the men being on the ice when
the violence of the gale broke the
ships fastenings and whirled her away,
and soon the parties were out of sight
of each other. The ship was in sink
ing condition, but by great exertions
she was finally run on shore. -
Lieutenant Coffin was one of the
seven men who landed from the ship.
They built shed, or tent, from lumber
and old canvas obtained from the
PObaris, in which to pass the winter.
While settled in this inhospitable eli
mate the strangest incident in Lieu
tenant Coffin's life took place.
For years after being wounded in Vir-
ginia he had been subject to severe
headaches, and at divers times was
threatened with brain fever. One day,
when the mercury euddled down in the
vicinity of 80 below zero, he left the
shanty for short walk on the ice. The
pains in his head were excruciating,
and he longed for relief. Around the
ship was place kept clear of ice, and
by misstep he fell into the chilling
water. With remarkable activity for
one dressed for an Arctic winter, he
scram bled out and succeeded in getting
back to the hut, which fortunately was
near at hand, before being frozen to
death. With the help of his compan-
ions he removed his clothing and
tnrned in.
How long he slept he knew not. but
when he awoke
HIS MEMORY HAD RETURNED.
Springing from his bunk he looked
wildly around, and cried out to his
companions: Where is my regiment?
Where is the Thirteenth New Hamp-
shire2 Am 1 a prisoner? -F s
1t seemed but five minutes since he
was struck down by the enemy's shot
on the green turf of old Virginia. His
companions looked at him in amaze
meut, and began to whisper and shake
their heads. The cold bath. they
thought, had fixed him.
1t certainly had. Once more he could
remember the cries of battle and the
sound of shot and shell as they sped on
their errands of death. He put his
hands to his head, and thought it
strange that no blood came off with
them. He asked his companions who
had takeDhim prisoner; who had won
the fight, and how it was done. They
only looked upon him with charitable
commiseration. and assured him that
he would soon be all right. This seemed
stranger still, and he thought them all
lunatics. Finally Captain Burlington,
who was on board the P0Iaris, and who
had ben informed of the carpenters
strange actions, sent for him.
Imagine Lieutenant Collins surprise
when, on opening to door of the hut to
follow the guidance of the man who de-
liVered Captain Budingtons message,
he saw literally for the first time
THE TOWERING MOUNTAINS OF ICE
and the miles upon miles of perpetual
snow.
This, indeed, was strange. 1t seemed
but few moments since he was inhal-
ing the fragrant, fower-scented air of
old Virginia. and saw the green raiment
of summer on every hand. Now all
was changed, and he could not under
stand it. Had the bullet killed him,
and was this part of the other world?
1t certainly reminded him of a scene
from Dante's Inferno" and vet he
seemed the same flesh and blood as he
was before being stricken down by the
death dealing bullet.
He looked and wondered, and the
heayen-kissing peaks of snow and ice
returned his gaze in solemn silence.
Arriving before Captain Burlington,
that gentleman said: "Well, carpenter,
they tell me you are little off, how is
it?
ITO tell you the truth, captain, I'm
beginning to think so myself" replied
Lieutenant Coffin, Il was wounded
about five minutes ago right here on
my" A
That's all right, Coffin, that's all
right; you just go and turn in and get
good sleep, perhaps that will do you
good" And so he left the captain with
his head full of strange Thoughts.
1T WAS USELESS
for him to try to explain anything to
his messmates, for they all thought him
daft, and when he began to tell how he
was wounded the rest of the men ex-
changed sly winks and tapped their
heads knowingly.
1t was not till after Lieutenant Coffin
had read the entries made in his note
books for many years back that it be-
gan to dawn upon him that he had
lived for years in dreamland. He ceased
trying to, explain things to the ships
crew and after while the affair was
forgotten.
After many weary months wait
ing for the spring, Lieutenant
Coffin, with the assistance of First
Engineer J. W. Booth and the chief
mate, constructed two boats, by which
they finally made their way under
many dangers to the northern point of |
Melville Bay, about twenty miles below
Cape York, where they were finally |
rescued by whsler.
When Lieutenant Coffin returned to |
this country he went before the Board |
Of Medical Examiners. The old wound |
On his head was found. He applied for |
> pension, and by a special act of the !
Forty eighth Congress it was granted. !
He first went to the Togus National |
~ Init firiv, Ng n ofs